Will you Hire a Hero?
The nearest most of us will experience the horrors of war is through the nightly news bulletins and press reports from hot spots such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
For thousands of men and women serving in the forces today, what they see will affect them for the rest of their lives. And for many, this will mean a difficult transition to Civvy Street once they leave the military.
A recent report by the National Association of Parole Officers estimated that 20,000 veterans are now in the criminal justice system, with 8,500 behind bars.
One explanation for these shocking statistics is that when military personnel leave active service, they don't have a civilian job to go to. With too much time to fill many turn to alcohol to block out painful memories, leading inevitably to violence and crime.
This week, our agency helped launch Hire a Hero, a campaign to persuade UK employers to give ex-military a job. The campaign is the brainchild of Karen Chadwick, chief executive of Apex Health and Social care.
Chadwick was inspired to launch the campaign by the case of Yusupha 'Baresi' Secka, who found himself out of work after seven years' active service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In December 2008, when Baresi left his regiment, 5 Rifles, he applied for hundreds of jobs but couldn't find any work. Disillusioned, he decided to re-enlist, but when Chadwick heard his story she offered him a job as a care worker. Now Karen is urging other UK businesses to follow her lead and Hire a Hero.
The story was reported positively on GMTV and the Manchester Evening News and has resulted in hundreds of people voicing their support on the Hire a Hero Facebook page. It seems as though this campaign has touched a nerve with the British people.
War is an indelible stain on the human character and leaders today, like those before, are all too easily drawn to the policy of last resort. Perhaps it is unrealistic to wish for a peaceful world where mankind lives in blissful harmony, but we can certainly all do more to help lift those people out of their living nightmare.
If you would like to show your support leave a message on the Facebook Hire a Hero wall or visit www.care4uconference.co.ukand follow the Hire a Hero link.
COMMENTS
No comments added for this entry.
POST A COMMENT
